Angel Worker

About ten years ago, I was working at a publicly listed gaming company. A senior executive left to start his own business and hired many people away, including me. Being young at the time, I was tempted into joining the fray, but the outcome was truly shocking.

Not only was this executive’s personal qualities extremely poor, he was prone to verbal abuse, and his project management was abysmal. He never had any plans, and he simply acted on impulse. As a result, the entire project was practically stagnant after a year, with no visible progress. Ultimately, everyone left him.

Yet this person was able to become a senior executive at that publicly listed gaming company, wielding immense power and earning more money than many people could ever earn in their lifetimes. Of course, the money he earned through luck was later lost through skill. Even so, he earned enough to achieve financial freedom.

So I wondered, how could someone with such low character and ability achieve such success? I eventually figured out the answer: he was an angel worker.

What is an angel worker (a concept I coined)? We’ve all heard of angel investors, who often invest in projects at a very early stage and receive hundreds or even thousands of times the returns upon their success. Angel workers are similar. They often join their bosses or companies very early on and become early employees. While angel investors invest money, they invest in people. These early employees become “angel workers,” and once the company succeeds, they too stand to receive hundreds or even thousands of times the returns.

There are countless examples of this. The executive I mentioned above is one example, and another is Guo Yu.

Pan-Angel Roles #

In fact, we can collectively refer to anyone who achieves huge returns through early-stage investment as an Angel XX. For example, an Angel Spouse: someone marries their significant other when they are struggling and then reaps a huge return upon their success (e.g., Empress Ma, Zhu Yuanzhang’s wife).

Lessons for Workers #

Workers often prefer large companies because they believe they offer good pay, stability, and a respectable reputation. However, when looking for a job, think of yourself as an angel investor, investing your own manpower (or opportunity cost). When you come across a promising startup, consider joining and participating in your boss’s venture, potentially earning a lucrative return in the future.

Working as a screwdriver at a large company, while a steady salary is offered, offers no significant returns, and your life seems to end at 35, which lacks excitement.

I believe this is the most reliable, lowest-risk, and highest-probability way for ordinary people to change their fate. Your boss takes on all the risks, and while the rewards from a successful venture may not be as high as your boss’s, you’ll still get to enjoy the benefits, earning enough to last for several lifetimes.

Guo Yu exemplifies this, having worked at ByteDance for six years in its early days. While ByteDance’s boss, Zhang Yiming, enjoyed the benefits, he enjoyed the benefits:

• As of 2024, Zhang Yiming’s wealth is estimated to be 350 billion RMB, making him China’s richest man.
• According to online information, Guo Yu was ByteDance’s 473rd employee. By the time of his retirement, Guo Yu had amassed a considerable fortune thanks to stock options he received during his time at ByteDance. While the exact figure has not been disclosed, it was reported that the stock options he received from ByteDance were worth over 100 million RMB. These options have increased in value hundreds of times as ByteDance’s valuation has grown, enabling him to achieve financial freedom and choose to retire early.

Finally, I wish all working people success in changing their destiny.